NFL Lockout Casualty: HBO's 'Hard Knocks'

It looks like we’ll have to get our profanity fix elsewhere this fall. Today, HBO Sports and NFL Films announced that HBO’s Hard Knocks, a five-episode series that follows a single NFL team during preseason training camp, will not air this season. The companies in a release blamed the lockout-shortened offseason that will condense teams’ prep times for the upcoming season, but several teams reportedly declined offers to host the show. The four-month labor stoppage ended Monday when NFL players and owners agreed to a new 10-year collective bargaining agreement. HBO said a 90-minute edition of Hard Knocks cobbled together with footage from previous seasons will premiere Aug. 31, and that the series will resume in 2012. Last year’s Hard Knocks featured the New York Jets and coach Rex Ryan, who started off the first show of the season with a swear-word-rich rant that he said he eventually had to apologize to his mother for.

8 Comments

This sucks. Truly the only show where I was bummed when an episode ended. Always wanted them to keep going.

Skippy • on Jul 29, 2011 3:44 pm

In addition to the drama they were always able to find, the show was just flat out good looking–beautifully shot and edited.

TV Fan • on Jul 29, 2011 3:44 pm

The best part about pre-season football is Hard Knocks.

BK Broiler • on Jul 29, 2011 3:44 pm

Best primer for the NFL season. Such a shame.

Maddening • on Jul 29, 2011 3:44 pm

I think they missed a unique opportunity on this one.
This season could have focused on the strike and what happens behind the scenes when such events take place.

It would have been a great insight into what it takes to get a team up and running when the clock is already ticking. And also how it effects the rookies coming into such a situation.

Oh well…

alpha dog • on Jul 29, 2011 3:44 pm

The only good thing about preseason football is hard knocks I will miss it this year

jerry troxell • on Jul 29, 2011 3:44 pm

I will miss Hard Knocks but on the other hand we won’t have to listen to Ryan’s rants this year. I’m no prude and I can lay out a lovely line of profanity but Ryan seemed to need to add a sentence to get all the crap out.